Darkness Eternal
by Lady Nightlord
Summary: First Watchmen FF:: A new masked vigilante is added to the group Watchmen with varied opinions through the others. Though the mysterious woman may be just the thing Rorschach's been looking for. Maybe hints of romance. rating for language! OC's POV
1. Chapter 1

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Okay! Hi all, this is my first Watchmen Fanfic so sorry if anything is OOC or if I get a few bits wrong *bows* I apologise now!! I watched the film and just had to write my own fanfic. SO! Here is the first chapter...a bit of a tester chapter to see if anyone wants me to continue! Reviews are most welcome and stop me from locking Rorschach in the closet *banging from inside closet*. As I said this is mainly Drama with a bit of humor...maybe bits of romance if I can fit it in without them seeming OOC. ENJOY!!!

**Darkness Eternal**

Chapter One

New York City. The place that never sleeps. It wasn't far from the truth. The people of the big city slept alright but it was the smarter ones that slept lightly. It was a big city after all. Full of thousands, millions of people and around 8 out of 10 of them could, and most likely would, commit some heinous crime. Dark alleys were always full of eagerly awaiting muggers, or even a sprinkling of men waiting to rape some unfortunate woman. Not to forget the stone-cold killers roaming round looking for a decent bloodbath. Nope, you just couldn't beat New York. Of course there were police forces that tried, key word - tried, to keep the crime rate down. Instead it skyrocketed on a one way trip to the stars. The only hope that had been left for the naive people were to the masked heroes. Each one dressed in armour, suits, masks and the like to 'protect' their identity as they 'saved' the people. Don't get me wrong, some of them did well and meant it too, but a number of them were just parading round for attention. Stupid bastards. Still, there were a few - albeit a small group - who actually cared about peace and the well-being of the people. They were known as 'Watchmen'. Watching over the city as it slumbered. That was until the idiot Government decreed the once heroes off the streets, leaving the crimes to the 'real' justice. Many people died after that. I still remember that group and I doubt I'll ever forget them.

* * *

Adrian Veidt, or as his alto-ego was Ozymandias, stood up front of them all beside a board with a map of America on it, talking about something or other. Laurie sat at the long desk not far from him, Silk Spectre II as she was known after her mother, listening whilst glancing over at another hero. This was of course Jon, or known as Dr Manhattan, the outcome of an accident turning him into a blue-skinned, glowing being that could shift molecules and change them; he sat opposite Laurie, glancing at her sometimes also. Of course Blake, commonly known as the Comedian, watched this show without listening to Adrian rabble on, a cigar lit between his teeth as he lounged in his seat. This left two of the heroes to be described, both stood next to each other towards the back. One was Dan, known as Nite Owl, stood listening to each word with enthusiasm. This didn't seem reflected in his partner however. The infamous Rorschach, uncommonly known once-upon-a-time as Walter, the masked vigilante who wasn't paying much attention to the others, listening briefly to Adrian when something of interest cropped up.

A clock chimed and Adrian glanced at it, his business-like smile fading slightly with annoyance.

"Where is she..." he muttered.

At this the Masks looked to him with curiosity.

"Who?" asked Jon with his calm tone that was always monotonous.

Just then the door opened and boots thumped across the floor lightly. They all turned at the swishing sound that came from loose material. Adrian sighed quietly in relief as the figure strode over to him, a small smile on his face once again.

"Everyone, this is our new member."

"New member?!"

The black cloaked figure stood tall, around a head shorter than Adrian, with the hood pulled up. In the darkness of the hood they could just make out the shape of a black mask that covered the top half of her face. What could be seen of her skin was snowy white while long, blood red locks of hair ran like rivers either side of her face. Her eyes were alarmingly crimson, as red as her hair, yet a smile on her lips, never showing her teeth. Beneath the cloak lay black pants and boots along with a white blouse and deep, indigo velvet waistcoat.

"Sorry I'm late, traffic was _murder_."

* * *

Yep, that was me. Striding in there almost like I owned the place. Then again I did that wherever I went, sort of an 'intimidation act'. If the cloak, mask, blood red hair and eyes didn't work - which was a rare case - her constant smile could put off everyone...well, _almost _everyone. My eyes were almost instantly drawn to Rorschach; the moving ink blots on his mask mesmerizing. Adrian cleared his throat snapping me from my reverie.

"I hope that wasn't the true reason, Phoenix," Adrian warned.

I rolled my eyes, "nah, rolled past a burning house, rescued the kids...then when I was almost here an old woman in a wheelchair nearly ran me over so I stopped that only to come across a man being threatened by a mugger," she waved her arms round exaggeratedly, "so I kicked his ass, sent the old woman home, dropped the kids off and headed here finally."

There was silence, a few quiet sniggers amongst the crowd of masked heroes. Adrian blinked a couple of times.

"...I seriously wonder about your sanity."

"You know what they say; where's the fun in sanity when reality isn't even sane?"

* * *

As the meeting progressed, I was mildly aware of eyes on me, almost burning a hole in the side of my head. Glancing in that direction notified me that Blake was mentally undressing me.

'Annoying perv to kick, tick!' I thought jovially.

Then another set of eyes bored into the back of my head and I was ready to snap, only to glimpse at Rorschach's masked face turn back to Adrian.

'Strange...I'll fit right in!'

"-Phoenix?" Adrian suddenly spoke, knowing she hadn't been listening, "what have I just said?"

"About how annoying I am yet you still love me enough as to let it slip this once that I wasn't listening," I smiled innocently.

Laurie laughed quietly and smiled over at me warmly, I could tell us two girls would get along just fine. Adrian sighed but the small smile never faded.

"I think we can end here today a little earlier than usual."

Almost instantly I leapt up quickly and moved round the long wooden desk, hoping to reach the door before being called back.

"Phoenix," a voice drawled, a little uneven due to a cigar in the speaker's mouth.

I could practically feel the tension in the room slip up a couple of knots, mainly from me, before turning to face Blake.  
"Yes?" I smiled as pleasantly as I could force myself to, the others had started to slowly leave - at seeing the confrontation, had slowed down drastically, lingering to watch.

His eyes roamed up and down my body making me mentally sigh.

'Men...'

"No, I will not go out with you, nor will I ever, and any woman that would, needs her head seeing to more than I do, bye!"

Turning and heading towards the door, his large hand gripped her wrist suddenly and the world seemed to stop turning.

* * *

Laurie blinked shocked. The two who had been almost at the door, both facing said door, were now the opposite way. It had happened in barely a second as Phoenix grabbed the offending wrist with the one he had gripped and spun his arm behind his back tightly. She was shocked at her speed and strength, as were the others except for Adrian who had already known; Jon had probably already 'seen' it in the future. Blake flinched as her grip tightened for a moment before letting him go, the tension easing as she smiled.

"I wouldn't try that again if I were you, I do bite," she waved before leaving.

* * *

Rorschach watched the new woman leave, her black cloak the last seen of her as she exited the door. Her display had been impressive but he was not one to be easily impressed. What intrigued his mind in the endless puzzle was her _altogether_. From her crimson hair and eyes to her pale skin. She also had a strange accent; not American, it sounded English with a slight Russian accent delved into it. Feeling his partner's eyes on him, he turned to Daniel who looked at him as if knowing where his mind had wandered.

"So, what do you think of this...Phoenix?" Daniel asked as the two left.

The vigilante's voice was raspy and low like usual, "_unusual. Good fighter._"

Daniel nodded, "I think she'll be a good change to things."

"_Or the end of the world_," Rorschach commented.

Above them the moon shone with mirth.

Yep, it was gonna be another one of those nights.

**Sorry it was short but as I said, just a tester, it gets better, trust me!....hopefully :P**


	2. Chapter 2

**Wow!!! Thanks for all the reviews and comments, it made my day! :) So here's the second chapter which is more of Phoenix's background...so ENJOY!!! Review Replies: ****the x:** lol, thanks, she does have powers but you'll find out later what she has. Keeping ya in suspense :P; **GothicMiko: **Thanks!!! Glad to now it's interesting so I hope you enjoy this chapter that might make you have more questions about Phoenix!; **batgirlraven17:** Haha! Thanks! I'm happy it was actually funny and not...well...crappy humour :P Hope you like the rest of it coz Phoenix has got a lot of smart-ass, funy comments to come in this story!!; **Anne Ominous: **wow! Thanks for the help hope you like this chapter, it's longer than the last one :) **THANKS FOR ALL REVIEWS I LOOK FORWARD TO MORE!!!!!!!**

**Darkness Eternal**

Chapter Two

That was a couple of years back. Good times, good times. We vigilantes were kicked off the 'help-force' and the city delved deeper into its stagnant decay and waste. Most of us had our 'secret identities' shown to the public while the masked heroes faded away. A load of crap if I do say so myself...which I do. Most of them cowered behind their money, afraid of the public if their vigilante past resurfaced for all to see. Some took the limelight and flaunted it disgustingly. Adrian wasn't so bad, I suppose I could give him leniency after all; if it wasn't for him I wouldn't have met the Watchmen. Yeah, I was just another one of those masked vigilantes spreading the peace through a different country. But I hold something much darker than the others; something most cannot comprehend, or choose not to anyway. I've been told that I would make the perfect villain, unstoppable, capable of 'world domination'. I just laughed in their faces. What utter crap. Villains, heroes, everyday people...all are the same, stuck in this pathetic, disgusting, putrid world full of lies and deceit. No, this world was a revolving garbage dump that needed cleaning up. The stains needed washing away in the one way I only know how. Through rivers of blood.

* * *

_Prowling New York City at night wasn't one of my favourite pastimes but it was all I could do. The darkness, the cold all offered the security, the safety that I couldn't have at home. You see, my parents often abused me once or twice a day, every waking hour of my life was spent in fear, in pain while I was 'home.' Many nights I took to the City to get away from it all, no matter the weather, I was out there._

_I crept low over rooftops, the rain beating down relentlessly. The sky was crying, people would say in this 'fair' City, I would always reply with; 'no, it's pissing down on us, something cleaner than what's down here.' This of course brought many stares, glares and even the odd bruise. Most wondered about my mental health, claiming I was some crazy teenager who need to be locked up. They didn't know the half of it._

_Hearing one of the many screams at night from a dark alley, I let curiosity take over and moved over rooftops until I was above the alley. There were three men, big burly men that were at least three heads taller than me. With them was a woman, no, she wasn't much older than my sixteen years. They weren't mugging her; their intent was clear in their greedy disgusting eyes. One of them held her down, the other slapping the girl's face every time she screamed or whimpered. The third man was between the girl's legs and her clothes were already torn from her, strewn across the cold alley. I hadn't arrived in time; they were already raping her when I crouched on that roof. The few that still were awake this time of night simply walked past quickening their paces, too afraid of the consequences of helping the poor, beaten girl. _

_I lost it. Jumping from the roof that was at least three stories high, I landed crouched behind the three, silent. They were too busy with their prey. An innocent now tainted by these disgusting dogs. The girl was whimpering, crying out in pain, the second slapped her powerfully again while the first laughed darkly. Grabbing the man that was raping the girl, I tossed him aside, his head meeting the concrete wall with a sickening crack. The body slipped down the wall, blood trailing down from where his head had met the wall. That was the first time I killed someone and definitely not the last. The two men leapt up, shocked at the death of their friend whilst looking at me in horror. A measly sixteen year old throwing a man twice my age and build and killing him instantly. Of course the cowards tried to run, key word - tried. Kicking out at the nearest man, the one who had been backhanding the poor girl, my boot connected with the back of his knee causing the mentioned bone to shatter and him to fall in agonizing screams. His 'friend' tried to flee, not caring about the life behind him of his once friend. He was being chased by a lion and preferred to leave his friend to the lion's jaws. But I was already through with the second. Another scream and the last fell, my hand smashing his face into the tarmac floor until blood ran like rivers from the alley, flecking my clothes but mostly my hand. Childish innocence long since lost, was thrown deeper into the pit to never be seen again. I knew the world was a bad, filthy place but now another innocent had been lost to the stains of mankind. I wasn't sure if it was better to remain innocent and naive about the world, or to be like me, lost in the darkness but at least knowing of the dangers human kind was to itself. _

_Looking back at the whimpering girl, her eyes that were once a lively emerald seemed shattered and dull with trauma. The blood I'd spilled almost ran round her as if not wanting to taint her further. But it was too late for that, far too late. I carried her to a hospital and left before anyone could turn on me. The next day she was dead. Police said she'd lost too much blood and was too badly abused. I'd watched the entire thing as the blundering Doctor gave her an overdose which killed the girl. He claimed it was an accident as I held him against the wall by his neck, whimpering pitifully, crying for mercy, begging that it wasn't his fault. Another died that day and the police were baffled at his death, finding no one to suspect._

_I returned 'home' only to have my 'parents' see the blood on my clothes and hands. Of course my father, the main abuser, decided to beat it out of me. Punching my face, my gut, slamming his foot into my ribs and back. My mother was less violent but pleaded for me to hand myself to the police, to be taken to an asylum. I refused, left to my room broken and bleeding but silent. The next day the police came, raided the whole house and found evidence of my abuse at the hands of my father. My mother confessed she had alerted the police but tried to persuade me that it was for the greater good, the lesser of two evils. Me? Evil? They had no idea. My abusive father was arrested; I was given a more lenient term due to my age and supposed 'mentally unstable' health. They locked me in an asylum and for five years my life wasted away being silent, unemotional, dead to the world that hated me and I it. _

_Of course I escaped; there wasn't a room that I couldn't escape from. When I left I returned to my mother, now as a young woman of twenty one. I was different, my hair and eyes the colour of blood. No one knew what had happened in the confines of darkness I had been held in, but when I stood in front of my mother she was frightened, no...terrified of me. She knew I was there to kill her for locking me away and making my life a misery. During the years when my father was locked up, my mother had resorted to prostitution for money. It sickened me further. Yet when I saw the young girl sat on the sofa, well taken care of in comparison to my mother, I stopped. I couldn't kill her because she had another daughter, my younger sister who I never knew. My mother confessed to what she had done, continually apologising to me, telling me of having a girl from one of her clients but didn't have the heart to get rid of her. Instead she was taken care of; the money my mother owned went to the young girl's food, clothing and education. I was angry, not at her but at myself for what I had become. So I left. I grabbed small things from my old room, even bid goodbye to my mother but not before looking at my younger sister. She was born of a whore and I pitied her for it. Still, I kissed her forehead before leaving the City, leaving America, not to be seen for years._

* * *

_England was a better place than America. Yes there was still crime and human dirt but I could deal with them. I had a roof over my head, a day job and at night I would prowl the streets. My job was original, different. I was an artist, or a vigilante artist to be precise. I earned god money for painting the masked vigilante's of America. One night I made my own costume, determined to make it like myself. The cloak that shrouded me into darkness, the boots with steel soles, black leather gloves for when dealing with a fist, a mask that didn't cover the bottom of my face so that the villains could see my smile. It always seemed to unnerve them when I did. My favourite touch was the white blouse as a show of innocence that I wished to keep amongst the darkest of my clothes, partially covered with the deep indigo waistcoat._

_That night was the night I met Adrian, or as I liked to call him Ozy. Nicknames must have been my forte. I had slipped amongst shadows, walking steadily but silently as I followed my prey. There was a brawl that went on in this particular district and had the luck to involve many of the innocents who were passing by to their homes. Three had turned up dead this morning from the previous night and my blind eyes had sharpened on this place. Already I could hear the rowdy shouts and calls from men heading to the brawl house. With this amount of noise it was too easy in finding the large warehouse they were 'playing' in. Stopping outside the door, my eyes roamed across the building, stopping at a pair of large windows around five feet up. Just as I was about to jump up a noise alerted me to someone closing in on me. Spinning round, I grabbed the wrist attached to the hand that had been reaching for me. Shockingly, the hand was covered in a gauntlet. Looking up and down the owner of the golden armour, a long red cloak swept down his back. His hair was short blonde, eyes looking at her as curious as she was._

"_Who are you?" he asked._

_At this I couldn't help but let out a small laugh, the first of many laughs I would have later on in life._

"_Shouldn't I be asking you that? I'm Phoenix," she let go of his wrist, "sorry about that, don't like people touching me usually."_

_He smiled, "it is fine, I'm Ozymandias."_

_I raised an eyebrow at hearing that name, "all the way from America, what brings you to England, cowboy?"_

_He chuckled at that and pointed to the windows I was about to leap to, "I was in town and heard the noise, care for some help?"_

_I considered it, usually I worked alone but it would be a welcome change to have a _living _person with me, "sure, why not."_

* * *

_After dealing with the brawlers, they all were left for the ambulances to arrive; I walked with the masked vigilante, talking about what we did._

"_So what kind of power have you got?" I asked suddenly curious, not all had some strange power, most were just very strong or smart._

"_I suppose you could say that I'm faster than a speeding bullet," he smiled but wasn't boasting to my amusement._

"_Handy."_

"_What about you, besides the obvious," Ozymandias said before I could point out the obvious._

_I pouted to his amusement before looking up at the night sky, "hmm...well I'm fast, very strong, can deal with a lot of damage...oh! I can see in the dark and my senses are a lot better than most."_

_He looked sideways at me, "that's an interesting combination."_

"_Nah, just odd bits," I caught his sceptical look, "really! I'm nothing special, just trying to clean up the world a bit, you know."_

"_Actually I do know," we stopped and he turned to me with a smile, "why don't you come to New York with me, I have some...friends and we together are more or less doing what you do."_

_I blinked shocked, no one had ever asked me to come with them...as a friend, "you...mean it?" Albeit, not overly happy to go back to America, I thought that if I had some people who wouldn't throw me aside like the rest of the world's population, maybe I could have a decent life._

"_Of course, and since we're going to be trusting each other, I'm Adrian," he held out his gauntlet hand._

_Looking at it for a moment, I slowly took his hand and shook it, "just Phoenix."_


	3. Chapter 3

**Hi! Thanks for reading so far *bows* please continue!!! lol. From a review that I received earlier I would like to announce this now before I blow up the universe....If you don't like it, don't read it. I'm not making anyone read it, it's purely for people who are bored and want to imagine a different twist to our favourite Watchmen-verse. Thanks DemonGirly91, you are the best!! Free hugs to you readers!!!**

**IMPORTANT A/N 2: This is humour, most things are not to be taken seriously during humoress acts....you will understand later**

**Darkness Eternal**

Chapter Three

So, after all that. How the hell did I end up here?! Wondering where **here** is? That would be a very large prison somewhere in New York. Not only that but I had a midget constantly flirting with me while his two huge, muscled friends stood by giggling stupidly. Seriously, if I don't die here I'll kill everyone else. Moving onto that happy subject, I have been here for around a week. Most men have tried, and failed miserably, to get me in their beds. Those that asked for that, died. Those that asked for my name, died. Those stupid enough to start cheesy pick up lines in a jail, died. Those who tried to steal my food also died. Yep, there was a whole lot of killing on my part. Wasn't like the guards cared though, as far as they were concerned I was cleaning up their trash and giving the cleaners a job to do. But I digress...

It started when I heard about the death of Edward Blake, known to me as the Comedian. Pushed from his twenty story apartment. Inside had been trashed with a fight, blood here and there so who do the cops think it was? Only two of the vigilantes that still wandered New York with their masks. This was of course me and Rorschach. He and I had been investigating it a little too thoroughly and were caught by alarms. Of course Rory - as I liked to annoy him with the nickname - slipped out leaving me to my own escape path. Have I ever said how much that man annoys the hell out of me? I have now. Just because of some women who dress up and parade round as whores, he has to go and tarnish the rest of us women with the name 'whore' or 'bitch.' Sometimes he makes me just want to punch his lights out! So, there I was sneaking out when the police arrived, knocked out cold and now here I am, the object of the inmate's fantasies.

* * *

Stood in my cell, I grabbed the bars tightly, a smile on my face but more of a grimace as I ground my teeth together.

"Wait till I get my hands on him..."

Without cloak and mask I felt...odd. Vulnerable to a world that claimed perfection behind slime covered blinds. Luckily I was still able to wear my normal black pants, boots, blouse and waistcoat. Although...I did bust quite a few noses for it...and kicked one man's groin to the far north. The memory brought a smirk to my face.

"Ah, good times..."

The cell door opened which meant it was time for food...well...if you could call that mush 'food.' I left to the mess hall unaware of a new inmate.

* * *

Rorschach...no...It was now Walter, was led into the prison with cuffs round his hands. His mask and outfit had been confiscated to his extreme annoyance, though he figured he knew where they were kept. He hated the feeling vulnerable in this prison without his mask, without _Rorschach_. Without his mask he was Walter and he hated it. Still, there was something nagging in his mind as he was left in the mess hall. Criminals, quite a few he had thrown in himself, stared at him as he passed, mostly glaring, tempted to throw all they had in their hands at him. Walter walked through the line impassive, his face stoic and emotionless. One of the criminals behind him in the queue started talking to him about something he didn't care about, it was a flash of crimson that made his eyes flicker from the mushy food on display.

At the end of the queue, now heading for a table with a tray in hands, was a woman with long, familiar crimson hair left to flow loosely down her back. Unlike the others she remained 'clean' and untouched. Pale skin almost glowing as she passed under a flimsy light. Recognising the black pants, blouse and waistcoat, his mind wondered if it was Phoenix. If it was this would be the first time any had seen her unmasked and uncloaked.

'She was caught?' he thought stoically, he had thought she would have escaped with ease like usual...that would mean she'd been here for a week. Walter watched with mild interest as she stopped beside a table not far from him, it was full of burly men, some with huge snaking, disgusting tattoos across their biceps and backs. Two of the five he recognised to have been murderers he had put here. The five looked up at her as she approached and all the woman had to do was slam her tray onto the table and a number of the criminals around the hall jumped. That's when he saw crimson eyes narrow and knew it was indeed Phoenix. The inmate behind him seemed to see what he was looking at and gulped.  
"No one goes near her mate, she's killed enough of us already and we all want a piece of you...just watch, those five are in for it."

'Interesting.'

* * *

Walking towards my usual table, stinking grub on a tray in my hands, I kept my head high, a way that practically screamed, 'I don't deal with shit, I throw it back!' Some glanced at me as I passed; a couple of fearful looks made me mentally snicker. Albeit it were the weaker minded that knew to stay away from me, prison was a bad place for me to many...memories came back during the night... Fully grown men, robbers, abusers, rapists and murderers...it didn't matter in front of me; they were all stains to be removed. That's when my eyes noticed the group sat at my table. Everyone knew that I sat there; everyone knew where my cell was just so they could avoid it. Here I was more of an animal than I was on the streets, I suppose I got a thrill out of terrifying the criminals, especially the few I had sent here before. I guess I was heading back to my old ways, I'd have to talk with Ozymandias after I beak out. A week here had _revived_ me and I was ready to get back out there.

Deliberately slowing my steps and making them louder, the steel soles in my boots helping that, heads turned to our direction. The five sat at the table seemed to be ignoring me to my amusement. Stopping in front of the table I slammed the tray down on the dirty, plastic table top, with enough strength to shake the plastic being. Several inmates jumped out of their skins while I narrowed my eyes dangerously. I hated when people stood up against me...gave me another reason to let the animal out and despite all, I didn't want that. The five heads turned to me, a couple with wide eyes but for two, the two who were usually hanging round with the midget...whatshisname. The two smirked up at me, fear hidden behind dark eyes and the knowledge that if I started anything in the mess hall I would get punished.

'Plan B then.'

Smiling eerily, my eyes closed in the smile, I titled my head slightly making several shiver, "excuse me, but you're sat in my seats."

"You don't need a table to yourself," the first grunted.

"Y...Yeah," the other seemed a little hesitant along with the rest of the five. Good.

"Well, I'll just sit here then," I slid into a seat opposite the most scared criminal, he was shaking too, one of the more 'feeble' criminals sent in for lesser charges...probably theft.

I smiled reassuringly to him and the mess hall slowly started up again. Taking a bite out of my 'meal', I ignored all the looks I got from others with my eyes closed, still smiling. The criminal opposite me, Brian I think it was, smiled nervously back and was still smiling when both of my legs wrapped round his and pulled him forcefully under the table. The back of my steel heel slammed into his chest crushing several ribs, killing him effectively. Silence broke out.

Everyone else stopped once again to watch as the remaining four leapt up from their seats. Dragging the dead body out from under the table, I slung him onto another table beside the one I sat at. Brian's body landed with a thud causing several trays to fall or shake. Still smiling in my eerie way, I sat back down on my now empty table and finished my food.

* * *

At the queue, Walter had watched with his same stoic expression as Phoenix killed a man and scared the others off. She had been fast and effective, her smile not even flickering. The thought of her being more of a Comedian than Blake was slightly disturbing. Yet for some reason after watching her, he had the sudden urge to fight, to get rid of this disgusting annoyance behind him that had started talking again. His eyes roamed to the chip fat, bubbling and boiling. Perfect. Not showing a thing on his face, he heard the almost silent sound of a switchblade being flicked out from behind him. So the criminal had been more than just talk, but that remained to be proven. All he needed was a distraction. He got one.

* * *

After successfully scaring the men off again, I had left the tray aside on the table for someone else to pick up. The body of Brian had been moved but no one had put the blame on her as no one had actually seen her kill him. As far as they knew, or showed, Brian had fallen under the table and killed himself by accident...somehow. Walking past the queue slowly, I picked up a familiar scent amongst the dogs. Glancing down the queue my crimson eyes fixed onto a rugged looking man who was round her height, maybe a little taller, with short ginger hair and pale, slightly freckled face. That would be a normal person if she didn't recognise him in an instant. His eyes met hers and she smiled lightly to him. The sound of the switchblade alerted my mind with flashing sirens.

'Looks like I'm getting out early.'

**Anyone has questions, bring them on!!!! REVIEW PLEASE!!!! Flamers will be shot down by Rorschach, he's not a fan of bullies...guidance can be given on pleasant terms *bows***


	4. Chapter 4

**Darkness Eternal**

Chapter Four

The inmates stiffened slightly as I stopped suddenly and turned to face them all. Without blinking I swept my right foot out tripping the guy behind Rorschach. Oh, my bad...Walter. At this point, said man smashed the glass beside him and grabbed the tub of boiling chip fat. Moving aside quickly, really not wanting to be touched by that boiling fat, Walter tossed the boiling, acidic oil on the inmate who promptly fell forwards, screaming in agony as it burned him, skin melting. Guards were suddenly on us like flies, bringing us down under their weight and fists. Held up again, at least two on each side of us, the head guard looked at us both with a sigh.

"You two are a pair of animals, I've warned you five times about this Phoenix."

I glared up at him, "these filthy dogs are just ruining the already soiled world, trying to take out the garbage is all we're doing."

* * *

Thrown back in my cell, I landed with a growl, eyes snapping back at the retreating guards. They really knew how to piss me off. Lying back on the cot that was remotely clean, I looked at the ceiling, deep in thought.

'So Walter's here...finally got caught,' I snorted, 'serves him right for leaving me back there!' my thoughts dissolved for a moment as I listened to other inmates returning to their cells for the night, 'wait a minute...that was the first time I've seen him without his mask...weird...in a cute way of course,' at this I promptly slapped myself, 'I did NOT just think that!'

Sitting up, I moved to the sink in the corner beside the toilet, and splashed my face with freezing water. It always woke me up doing this, probably why I liked the rain so much. I've been digressing a lot lately...Sitting back on the cot, I returned to my original position this time with my eyes closed.

'Now I've cleaned my mind, where was I......oh yeah, Walter/Rorschach has now seen my face too! Just great...but it could be worse I suppose,' tilting my head sideways so I could look out of the bars and into the prison, I sighed wondering where his cell was, 'why do I care? Scratch that, since when have I given a damn about a guy who doesn't give a damn about me?!'

Growling, I sat back up and ran a hand through my long red locks, I never wanted to cut my hair short, preferred it long because my father hated it. Speaking of that son of a bitch, where the hell was he? This was the same prison he'd been carted to but I hadn't seen hair or hide of him. Not that I minded, I only wanted to find him so I could beat him to a pulp.

A man walked in front of my cell and stopped. Looking up at him from my position on the cot, I blinked lazily before looking away. It was only the damn annoying psychiatrist.

"How you doing Phoenix?" he asked calmly, trying to smile.

"Same old, same old," I waved a hand dismissively.

"Just been to check on Walter, I guess you two know each other."

I smiled slightly, "he doesn't like being called that, I suggest you call him Rorschach if you like life."

He shook his head lightly, "you should sleep, it would do you good."

I closed my eyes and whispered, "I can't sleep...ever."

He left silently, not wishing to hang round much longer; no one really likes hanging round me for long. I suppose any sane person would stay away from me if they had half a brain cell. Heck, so would I.

* * *

I must have been gone to the world because the next thing I knew a riot had broken out. Don't ask me how but as soon as I opened my eyes they were all out of their cells, killing each other, fighting with the guards, you get my drift. I just sat there for a moment, blinking in shock before smirking.

'Time to go!'

Springing up, I easily pulled the cell door away and stepped out, looking ahead despite an inmate running at me from the side. They were no longer afraid. They should be.

The inmate leapt at me but my hand shot out and caught him in mid air by his neck before throwing him into the oncoming waves of inmates. At seeing one fall they hesitated before charging again. That's when they saw my eyes clearly, demonic red eyes. That scared them off. Mentally laughing, I walked down a corridor, stepping back as an inmate that had been set on fire stumbled past screaming, before carrying on and into the psychiatrist's office. I couldn't believe my luck when I saw Walter there...no, he was now Rorschach, mask and all. The psychiatrist's eyes widened at seeing me but I simply brushed past him and into the shelves of boxes, tossing most aside until I found the one with my stuff in it.

"Ah-ha!" twirling my cloak round my shoulders and fastening the clasps, the mask slid onto my face but I left the hood down for now, "much better!"

"_Done?_" Rorschach rasped behind her, hands in his pockets.

"I believe so," she spun on one foot, a smile on her face before pointing at him, "You left me back there! I blame you for this mess, _Rory_."

If it was possible, I believe he twitched at the nickname.

"_Your fault. Too slow._"

My eye twitched, "I am not slow! I could kick your ass where you stand."

"_Whore._"

"Bastard."

With that, we both left the room on a mutual understanding. I had to admit, as infuriating as he was, he was a good ally and I was proud to be able to get him to speak so much, even if it was just arguing. Which he managed to do with a monotone voice! Something I could never do, but ah well, I'm digressing....again! I looked round the corner and snickered as the midget ran into the men's bathroom.

"I'm not off in there, stinks," I mimed waving a hand in front of my nose.

"_Hurm..._" was all I got from the vigilante.

As he headed for the door, two masked people suddenly rounded the corner to my surprise.

"Rorschach!" Dan/Nite Owl and Laurie/Silk Spectre called then spotted me, "Phoenix!?"

I waved a gloved hand at them, "he's just off to the little boy's room."

Rorschach left inside, the door swinging shut as I moved over to the two, Laurie hugging me tightly.  
"We all missed you, where have you been?" then it clicked finally, "don't tell me you..."

I nodded with a dramatic sigh, "I've been here for a week all because of," Rorschach came out of the toilets just in time, "Rory!"

"_Was not,_" was his simple comeback as he walked past calmly.

"Was too! You left me!" I stormed after him with fake anger, but I couldn't help it, I just loved acting the child since my childhood was cut short...

"_Too slow._"

This carried on all the way to Archie the Owlship, Laurie and Dan following with amused expressions. As soon as I stepped inside the flying craft I stopped and sniffed the air before stiffening.

"Don't tell me....." I slowly turned to Dan and Laurie and gawped, "you two....did _it_!...In here!!"

The two now looked alarmed, embarrassed and shameful all at once.

"How did you?" Dan gawped back at her.

"I can smell it a mile off!!" I covered my nose, "the smell of sex stinks!! Why do you think I avoid all whores?!"

The two looked down sheepishly at the scolding while Rorschach was silently observing.

"There's nothing wrong with it," Laurie spoke indignantly.

"Speak for yourself," I mumbled looking away with a forlorn look.

* * *

Laurie sat in the left side, Dan in the right while I and Rorschach stood behind the two. That's when Dan spoke; he was quiet in saying it and a strange soft tone to his voice I had never heard, especially when talking to me.

"You were abused as a kid weren't you?"

There was silence, a few glances my way but I was already sat down on the floor, eyes looking forwards but not really seeing the metal interior. No, instead I could see my bedroom, my father nearing me, my mother watching and I shivered; my eyes hardening.

"Don't go there..." I almost whispered.

Laurie now looked back, Dan driving them through the night sky, "sometimes, it makes you feel better to get it out in the open," her voice too was soft, like a caring sister.

A voice full of comfort, another thing I had never had.

Everything screamed at me to keep silent. My mistake was looking up and meeting that white mask and moving black shapes. I knew he was looking at me now.

The black shapes formed something for a moment and I was lost.

I opened my mouth and told them what I never thought I would tell.

**Thank you for reading and a great big thanks to the reviewers!!!!!!!!! 'Shade of the Ace' and 'Cross-Shield'!! Thanks loads! New chapter should be out in a few days!! *bows* KEEP REVIEWING!!!!!! **


	5. Chapter 5

**Woohoo!!! I can't believe how many of you review!! *huggles* THANK YOU ALL!!! Colleen; DemonGirly91; Anne Ominous; E. A. Grim; Shade of the Ace; gymgurl; Samantha Jane West-Croft; batgirlraven17; Gaara-Frenzy; the x () You all keep this story going so thanks again!!! Thanks to all readers!!**

**Darkness Eternal**

Chapter Five

It was true that I had an abusive past. Albeit who hasn't in this day and age? There's kids on the streets who've ran away from home, kids left to die by their parents...only babies...Then there were the kids left to suffer at home, most in silence while the others who pleaded for someone to understand were always called liars. Not I. I never had chance to tell anyone. I never spoke to anyone; I didn't have friends, only bullies. Several times I would have arrived home nursing a bruise or cut from a bully only to have them multiplied by my father. Mom never did anything as bad as him but she didn't help me, she just watched silently, sometimes yelling abuse like she wished I hadn't been born, or goaded Dad on.

Once I went to school with an obvious black eye and the teacher got worried about me. She was a nice person, the only person who was nice to me. Her name was Mrs Rose with a caring husband and son a few years older than me. At the end of class she held me back to talk to me.

* * *

_"Hope, is everything okay at home?" Mrs Rose asked like a concerned parent, how I wished she was my mother and not the one I had at home._

_Unable to voice my words thanks to my bruised throat I just simply nodded, the scarf round my neck hiding the bruises there._

"_Are you sure," the caring teacher put a hand gently on my shoulder and it took all my young strength to not cry out in pain at the tender joint._

_Once again I nodded albeit a little quicker than last time. She looked at me with sad eyes before nodding herself, seemingly trying to coerce herself into believing my lies._

"_Come on, I'll walk you home, okay?"_

_I couldn't refuse her warm smile._

_We walked to my home, my small hand in hers and for the brief twenty minutes walk from school I felt...happy. I even smiled, lighting up my young, ten year old face. Mrs Rose also seemed to be happy; she had always been there like a Guardian for me. On the way she talked and I listened interested in every word that came from her mouth. She told me how she wanted a daughter and how her son, Nathan, too wanted a sister, they were such a great family...unlike my own...they never talked to me. The brief happiness left as soon as we stopped outside my door and before I could open it the door was flung open to reveal my livid father. He was about to shout at me for being late home when he noticed Mrs Rose, and composed himself enough to appear as a caring parent._

"_Mrs Rose," his voice was strained to my ears, "what a pleasant surprise to see you here."_

_The unaware teacher smiled warmly at him, he didn't deserve such a smile, "I'm sorry I made Hope late, I just wanted to run over some math questions, she's very smart for her age."_

_He nodded stiffly, glancing down at me with contempt but was quickly hidden as he looked back at the teacher. I was marched inside and the door shut slowly, slowly enough for me to look back and see Mrs Rose look...worried...for me? Once it shut my father erupted and the back of his hand connected with my cheek with stinging force. I staggered into the thin hallway wall, sliding down it while my head spun. He wouldn't let me sit down though, he wasn't finished. Grabbing me by my scarf, he dragged me away into the living room to beat me further, cursing the day I was born._

* * *

I had that almost daily. The only time I was safe from his abuse was when he was drunk and away with my mother doing...things in their room. The thought made me shudder each time. Unfortunately, those days were growing thin and on odd occasions I would walk in from school with them both arguing at each other. As soon as my father saw I was home he vented his rage on me. As always I would be left to cry myself to sleep or sometimes it would be so bad that I was knocked unconscious. I suffered in silence. Six years later I went into school and Mrs Rose wasn't there. I waited for days but she never came into school. It wasn't until a group of bullies had kicked me into the dirt that they told me, whilst laughing, that Mrs Rose's house had been caught on fire and the kind family had died together amongst the flames...

* * *

_It couldn't be. Someone so kind just couldn't be dead. The only person to have cared for me couldn't have left the world! I ran home like the Devil was chasing me and for all I knew the Devil was. I was never allowed to be happy it seemed. Even though school hadn't ended, it was only lunch break; I couldn't stay there any longer. I ran home, bursting through the door and almost barrelling into mom. She looked down at me shocked to see tears rolling down my face. Without thinking I curled my arms around my mother and cried into her stomach, as tall as I could reach at that age. It was safe to say that she was shocked at my behaviour and either she was desperate to get away from me or something else, because she put her arms round me and let me cry._

_Then I heard the door open behind me and slam shut. Dad was back and in a bad mood. As soon as he strode into the kitchen where we stood, he ripped from my mother's embrace and tossed me against the wall with a thud. Pain shook my body but my heart was in more pain. So much so that I stood up and glared up at my father._

"_I HATE YOU!!!!!" I shouted with all I had._

_Both of them looked shocked at me, I had never shouted at them, let alone stood up to my father. Within seconds I was being dragged again and this time I was slung into my room. I thought for sure they would leave me to my depression but no, he followed me through, mom stood in the door. He undid his belt and I knew I was going to get hit with the belt again, it wasn't uncommon. _

* * *

Oh how wrong I was.

It was safe to say that the three masked vigilantes round me were mortified. Well...most likely two, nothing seemed to grate on at Rorschach. My story seemed to have gripped Dan because he had stopped driving and they were hovering in the air. I must have been deep into the past because I hadn't even noticed. Laurie had tears in her eyes; Dan was gripping his seat so tightly I swear he would have ripped through the leather and metal.

"Don't tell me he..." Laurie spoke barely above a whisper, "your own father...."

I had my eyes downcast on the floor, they were cold and harsh and I knew that which was why I didn't want to look up. I hated how my eyes could be so readable if anyone could get past the disturbing fact they were crimson.

"Of course...this world is full of bastards," I spoke without emotion, how unusual for the 'new' me that preferred to be smiling and happy, "a world of disgusting stains that need removing, dogs that want putting down...and I hate it..."

* * *

After that traumatic night I refused to speak, silent as the grave. I was disgusted at my father for doing that to me, disgusted at my mother for watching! So much that I didn't return to school. I was smart for my age, smarter than the others at High School. I only went home to steal food from the fridge before leaving out into New York at night. Keeping to shadows and rooftops, I became agile and strong from all the outings across the City I did. I slept mainly during the day and sometimes at night depending where I was. Then one day I was wandering round when I heard a scream. Being my curious self I checked it out, crouched on a rooftop above and alley. Down in the darkness were three men, one holding down a girl who looked around eighteen, another slapping her when she screamed or whimpered, a third raping her. I could see my father as all three of them and I felt disgusted at the world and the people in it. I was disgusted how I had only arrived whilst they were raping her and those few passing by just kept away.

Something inside me snapped and I killed all three without remorse. The girl was badly beaten, bloody and traumatised so I took her to the hospital. Ha...what a bloody mistake that was. I left her there and the next day she was dead. They all said that she had died from blood loss and trauma but I had been there watching as the bastard Doctor gave her an overdose. The Doctor pleaded that it was an accident and that he would take better care next time. I said there would be no next time and killed him for killing the girl. For some reason I returned home that night only to meet my parents as I walked in blood on my hands and some of my clothes. They were horrified. Mom wanted me to hand myself in but I refused, she only wanted to send me to the asylum, say I was crazy. Newsflash, the whole world is crazy. Dad tried to beat it out of me, breaking a few ribs and my wrist, cutting me and bruising my skin like usual. I was silent despite the pain and they left me alone.

Next day the police came, found the evidence that my father was abusing me and took him away to jail. Since I was sixteen they let me off easy but I was still kicked into an asylum for five years. During this time I.......changed. Not as in went crazy but more physically. I became something like what I am now but back then I was far colder, hateful. The human race meant nothing to me, nor did the lives of any of the billions of people that live on this world.

* * *

I could tell from Dan's looks that he was questioning my sanity. This made me laugh lightly which eased the tension round them. Rorschach had taken a more comfortable position, leaning back against the opposite wall, hands in his pockets. Laurie seemed transfixed by my story, not in pity like most gave me if I told them a shred of my past, but awe.

"To think you could go through so much...and come out smiling and laughing at the end," was Laurie's answer to my unspoken question.

'Ah,' I thought, 'that's what she thinks.'

"Well, I escaped easily enough and found my mother, dad was still in prison, and she'd turned into a whore," I glared at Rorschach, "don't even think of starting any of our arguments," before looking back at the floor like last time, "I was ready to kill her too for all she'd done...for all she'd become..."

* * *

_Without knocking, I walked into my old home and was almost overcome with the stench of sex that lingered in every room. I really had to find how to control these new, powerful senses. Breathing through my mouth, I found my mom just walking out of the living room. She stopped at seeing me and her eyes widened. Despite my appearance and physical change she seemed to recognize me instantly._

"_H-Hope?"_

_My eyes narrowed at the name, "its Phoenix now, Hope is dead."_

_She took a step forwards and stretched out a hand to my face, a hand of a whore more than that of a mother. Moving my face back from her, I couldn't bare to be touched by her, my senses going crazy with disgust. She looked briefly hurt but seemed to understand._

"_I...I had to..."_

"_Had to turn yourself into a whore?" my voice was harsh and biting._

_Mom flinched, "y-y-you're here to k-k-k-kill your own m-m-m-mother?!"_

_My eyes narrowed dangerously, "would a mother watch her child be raped by her father?" it took all my self control to keep my voice level and not kill her now._

_I glimpsed over her shoulder and my eyes widened. There sat on the couch was a young girl, only around three years old, watching TV with a smile on her face, an innocent smile that seemed out of place in the disgusting world. Mom seemed to see who I was looking at and smiled slightly._

"_She happened after one of my....clients....I couldn't leave her, I want to take care of her like I couldn't you," she looked back at me sadly, "all my money goes to her, your younger sister."_

* * *

I couldn't kill her. Not any more when I knew she had another daughter to look after. Of course I was jealous at the idea of my sister actually having a loving mother who had hated and squandered me my entire life, but it was bearable. What I hated was thinking about what I had almost done. If I had killed mom then my younger sister would have been left alone, left in the dark without anyone. Even if she was the offspring of a client and a whore, she was just so innocent I couldn't bear to put her through the sort of pain I did. So I grabbed my things and left New York, I left America altogether and moved to England for a few years. I was an artist for a time, finally finding something I could run my emotions through. It was round then that I met Adrian. He was the only one who actually cared for me so I returned to America with him.

* * *

"What you see before you is the product of all of that past condensed and pushed aside," I looked up with a warm smile, "just because I got a couple of friends who care."

Without any further words, Laurie launched herself onto me and hugged me tightly while she cried for me. It would have been overwhelming for someone to touch me, usually why I didn't like people touching me, but Laurie wasn't setting of the senses in my head that screamed warning. Everything was silent but for her quiet cries...for me. For once I was unsure of what to do and looked at the two men pleadingly.

'What do I do?!?!?' my eyes screamed at the two.

Dan held his hands up in surrender while Rorschach shook his head. I glared at the two with a look that said; 'you two are so dead.'

Laurie sat back with a smile despite her tears and hit my shoulder lightly. I held my shoulder in fake pain.

"Hey! I have to use this arm still!"

"I'm just worried," Laurie smirked, "you don't let men touch you but you're all fine for a woman to."

Dan snorted with laughter suddenly, slapping a hand over his mouth to stop his laughter. My eye twitched and I pushed her off.

"That's it!! Out of my personal space! And for your information I prefer MEN!!!"

"_Whore,_" Rorschach interrupted.

"BASTARD!!" I shouted back at him before huffing, "for your information I have slept with one man! And it lasted a while....damn I'm such a loner..."

Laurie giggled, "aw, don't worry, you'll find yourself a man eventually."

"Hopefully before the end of the world," a sudden image of a homeless man on a street I had passed once broke into my mind, the tattered sign in his hands made me smile as I looked over at Rorschach, "after all 'The end is nigh'."


	6. Chapter 6

**SO! Here we are again folks....I would like to apologise for the Author Note, I don't know what's wrong with me lately but I've been taking practically everything personally. Don't ask because I can't explain. EITHER WAY!!!!! I AM BACK WITH DARKNESS ETERNAL AND HERE TO STAY!!! There aren't many chapters left but I will finish it for all those who wish to read it. For any who wish to tell me; I already know Phoenix is a bit of a SUE but I cannot change that for this story...only change my OC's for the next Watchmen FANFIC which I will write afterwards this one is complete. I thank you all for expressing your views and messaging me wanting this story to continue. For all those who have reviewed and read HERE'S THE NEXT CHAPTER!! This is all thanks to HappyEmo666 who has slapped me (not literally :P) back into place, thanks again HappyEmo666!**

**Darkness Eternal**

Chapter Six

Rorschach was annoyed as they flew over New York City. His mind was revolving around the whole case of the masked murder but at the same time that crimson haired woman would pop into his mind at annoying moments. For reasons unknown to the vigilante, he couldn't get her from his mind. It may have been because of the trust she had shown in telling them her story, which had been enough to drive Laurie to tears. In truth Rorschach figured it was just another sad story from a world revolving in the darkness and disgusting vermin of the planet. Walter was a different story. Walter could relate and it gave him a strange feeling, a feeling Rorschach didn't like. Hope, that had been her name once but she had discarded it years ago. Why? It was a beautiful but odd name. Then again so was Phoenix, a mythical bird renowned for its powers of immortality. Rising from its ashes and all that rubbish. It was only a myth, not true; a pure bird of majestic beauty could never be alive in such a world like this. The dogs of human kind would simply shoot it down and maim it beyond recognition like they always did. No, he couldn't be thinking of Phoenix, he had more important things to think of.

* * *

Dan brought them into a steep dive before landing in the hidden tunnel that drove them into the huge basement below his house where he kept all his gadgets and outfit. Once they came to a halt; he and Laurie stood by the door and almost kissed when it opened and stood outside, was Jon. He was more naked than usual but being an almost 'God' - like hero as the people liked to think, clothes and decency were merely a trivial matter. Laurie broke away from Dan embarrassed in front of Jon. I swung my head out of the door and smiled warmly.

"Hi Jon! It's been a while, how you been doing?"

To their surprise he smiled slightly, "good evening Phoenix, my physical health is as fine as always."

"Good to know," I put my elbow on Dan's shoulder, resting my cheek against my fist, "I've heard about what's going on, nothing escapes me, you should know."

There seemed to be a secret meaning between the two of us, to the others it probably seemed we were talking mentally also.

"As I have seen most things."

I frowned, "that doesn't sound good...just don't lose faith in _all_ humans just yet."

Laurie sighed and shook her head lightly, "you make it sound like you're not human."

At this, I laughed and patted her shoulder; "have no fear, of course I'm human, I still live and die...or can I?" she winked.

Laurie rolled her eyes at me before walking over to Jon and both vanishing. Dan watched the two go with contempt aimed at the blue figure. I patted his shoulder.

"Don't worry, you've still got her."

He looked at me incredulously, "how do you know?"

"Call it woman's intuition."

Rorschach made to speak but I glared at him, "don't even think about it."

"_Hurm..._"

My stomach gurgled and my eyes widened, "Not good..." rushing upstairs I managed to clamber into the bathroom before emptying my stomach.

'That's prison food for you...' I thought blandly before throwing up again.

When the retching ended there was a knock behind her, Dan's worried voice outside.

"Phoenix? Are you okay?"  
"Oh you know....just throwing my guts up," I replied with annoyance.

"If you need anything, just let us know," and I heard their footsteps leave before another round of retching started.

It wasn't until an hour later before I dared exit the porcelain room. Passing a mirror, I eyed my reflection grumpily. Not only was I exceedingly paler - if possible - but sweat beaded my forehead and my body shook with mild tremors. Eyes looked back at me, haunted by a past I was gradually forgetting with my friends.

Making it downstairs and into the kitchen, both turned to me as I entered. Dan almost leapt up.

"Bloody hell," that was a first, Dan swearing, "you look terrible!"

Seating myself unsteadily, I let out a dry laugh, "thanks, you sure know how to make a woman feel good..."

"No I mean it you should go to a Doctor," he rested his hand against my forehead, "and you've got a fever."

Waving him away I managed to shake my head through the shaking, "they'd only say I needed rest and more lousy food....I need a drink."  
About to get up, Dan pushed me back down and instead brought me a glass of water, "you can rest here for now."

I smiled weakly, "thanks," I shakily took a sip of cool water.

Dan looked at his friend, "Rorschach, there's a first aid kit in the bathroom, can you bring me it?"

"_Why?_"

Dan peeled back the side of my coat to reveal a stab wound in my side, blood already soaked through most of my white blouse. Rorschach left and returned with the needed first aid box.

"I can't believe you didn't tell us," he muttered heatedly.

"Didn't want to slow you down," I grumbled.

Sliding off my coat, I unbuttoned the waist coat and frowned at my shirt before looking at the two men.

"No way am I stripping in front of you two."

"Phoenix," Dan sighed, "we have to see to it, it's what is making you sick and you can't do it yourself."

I grumbled to myself before lifting up my shirt but stopping before my chest, luckily the stab wound was at my waist. Dan looked back at Rorschach.

"I need you to hold her hands," he smiled warily at me, "don't want you hitting me because it's going to be painful to clean it."

I glared at him stonily but Rorschach made no move. Dan sighed once again.

"Please Rorschach."

"Just pretend I'm a bad guy, alright?" I rolled my eyes.

Rorschach stepped behind me and grabbed my wrists behind my back, a little too tight for comfort, but steady nonetheless.

Dan soaked a cloth in alcohol to sterilize the wound and drew nearer. I instinctively drew a deep breath before it touched the bloody wound. I swear if it wasn't for the tolerance for pain I had, I would have screamed bloody murder. It burnt like no tomorrow and I swore I saw the pearly gates...or maybe it was Satan's teeth....either way it hurt. Despite biting my lip I ended up crying out, the metallic taste in my mouth alerting me to my bleeding lip. Dan cleaned the wound, Rorschach holding my wrists tightly as I struggled to move away from the searing pain. I'd been shot once which had hurt like a bitch, but at least then I had been under anaesthetic and out cold when they removed the bullet. Soon, but not soon enough for my liking, I had bandages wrapped round my waist and dressed again, this time lying on the couch.

"If I see another dagger coming....I'm running away," I mumbled.

Dan laughed lightly, "you're not as bad as Rorschach, he's always being stabbed, shot, beaten...you name it."

Said vigilant was sat eating beans, seemingly ignoring them. I nodded lightly before closing my eyes.

"Thanks...both of you..."

"No problem."

Rorschach was too busy buried in his can of beans.

"How the hell can you eat bean like that," I suddenly asked incredulously.

"_Hurm..._" it was strange seeing him talk with his mask pulled up just over his nose.

"Next time it will be you...being sick," I smirked.

I had the strangest feeling he was glaring at me, even if I couldn't see his eyes. Then I looked at Dan.

"Don't you feed him?"

Dan gaped for a moment, "w...why should I? He kicks down my door and is only round for a few minutes!"

"No wonder he's so skinny!"

Dan blinked, "Wait...you've seen him," he leaned closer to whisper, "without his mask?"

I grinned as Rorschach stiffened slightly, "the truth dies with me," I stuck my tongue out at Dan.

A few moments later I was sat at the table, feeling a little better. Grabbing a fork from nearby, I decided to take my stress out on it and tried bending the metal with my mind, since I was bored and curious to see if it would work. I stared and stared at the fork for what seemed to be hours but in fact minutes while Dan watched intrigued. Rorschach put the finished can of beans down, pulling his mask fully over his face again causing my concentration to flicker to him for a moment.

'Bad Phoenix, very bad Phoenix!!' I scolded myself, 'I swear any man smells good to me.'

"_It won't bend._"

That was it. Instead of my mind, my thumb pressed against the metal bending the fork with until it was a perfect 'U' shape.

"Grr," I put the fork down.

Dan looked at it with a sigh, "I'll have to but a new set of forks now...."

Grumbling, I bent the fork to its original state again before tapping my fingers against the table, my other hand holding my chin with the elbow on the table. I glared at the man in front of me who not only managed to stir emotions up in my chest that I was unfamiliar with, but anger and annoyance that only he seemed to be able to create. The moving black ink blots on his mask were once again mesmerizing to me. Each shape had a different meaning to me. Most were dark, angry images in my mind, not surprising with my past, but a few with bright, almost cheerful ideas in my mind. Then I realized I was staring.

"Dammit!" I hit my head on the table with a resounding thud.

"Erm..." Dan looked a little lost with my actions.

"Ink blots hate me," I answered as if stating the obvious.

Dan looked even more confused until I lifted my head up.

"The _Rorschach Ink blot test_," I grumbled, glaring at the man named after the test, "they tried it on me a couple of times, seemed worried about the results so therefore repeated them until I told the guy to shove them up his ass...seemed to think that I was insane thanks to my past making me see dark things in the blots, so I told them that if they wanted to be alive in the morning they would leave me the hell alone before I lost the remainder my sanity."

"I'm not meaning to sound rude but...are you sure you haven't lost your mind?" asked Dan worriedly.

At this I laughed, "Nope! At least I hope not....."

Standing up so I could stretch, several of my bones cracked as I did so leaving me feel more relaxed. That was until the wound in my side ached and I promptly held my side, muttering dark curses about knives. Rummaging through the cupboards she looked back at Dan, "why do you have so many cans of beans!!" I cried dramatically, "I need something with Iron in it.....ah-ha!"

Sitting back down, I stuck a packet of chocolate down on the table and the two men looked at me once again.

"Chocolate?"

"Chocolate," I grinned before digging in, "I love chocolate! I haven't had it in years!"

Dan hung his head, "I'm in a house with a chocolate-loving insane woman and bean-loving vigilante..."

I patted his shoulder whilst smiling, half a chocolate bar hanging out of my mouth, "no worries!! I'll protect you from the beans."

Rorschach seemed to huff, "_when you want saving, I'll whisper; no._"

I finished off the chocolate in seconds, licking my fingers, "when you want saving, I'll smile and wave goodbye."

"Stop that..."

Us two vigilante's turned to Dan at the same time who was watching me as I liked my fingers.

"Eh?"

"Stop...licking your fingers..." he blushed.

It took me a couple of seconds before it clicked; somehow Rorschach got it before I did.

"WHAT?!?!?!"

"_Whore,_" he rasped.

"Bastard!" I grumbled, "I' m surrounded by idiots."


	7. Chapter 7

**Thank you reviewers!!!! You make my life spin round like the world! Especially after a tiring day at college *sigh*. But anywho! It's the second-to-last chapter!! The last chapter may take a coule of days, I've got loads of art work to catch up with and psychology revision.....booooring! Hope you enjoy this...slightly shorter chapter! Once again thanks for reading and reviewing, hugs for you all!! *hugs***

**Darkness Eternal**

Chapter Seven

The two masked heroes crept round the dark office that belonged to Adrian. Everything was silent though. Untouched and left alone. No on had been in sight so slipping in had been easy work for the two. Rorschach was searching through the drawers by a large cabinet when he reached a locked one. Kneeling down, he started picking the lock while Dan hacked into Adrian's computer. There was a satisfactory click from the lock and he drew out the contents. Dan was having less luck in hacking the password.

"Try that," a gloved finger pointed to one of the books on Adrian's table.

Dan looked up while Rorschach whipped round only to see Phoenix stood there.

"How did you get in?" asked Nite Owl, shocked at her sudden appearance.

I shrugged lightly and sat on the desk beside Dan.

"I have my ways."

"_Whore._"

"Bastard."

Dan sighed loudly, "will you two ever quit it? You're friends so stop calling each other names like children."

"_Friends? Not,_" Rorschach routed through the desk some more.

I glared at him, "fine then, I don't care," I crossed my arms trying to ignore the annoying feeling in my chest.

Dan typed in the password and successfully hacked in. Finding a folder marked with a pyramid, he clicked on it and I leaned in closer to see. There were files about money being given to the Soviet Union for nuclear weapons. All from Adrian.

"No......that...that can't be right," I muttered in shock, there was no way Adrian could have done this.

Dan looked up at me worried, "looks like Ozymandias has been busy."

Sliding off the table I walked over to where Rorschach was looking through the drawers. Leaning over his shoulder to look at what he was reading, his leather gloved hand came up and smacked me in the face.

"Ow!"

"_Whore. Out of personal space._"

I growled lowly at him, "stupid...no good...bastard...Rory..." I took a deep breath and let it out, "I swear you are the only man who can annoy me that much."

He said nothing but I had a funny feeling he was watching me from behind his mask of moving ink blots.

"So..." my voice had softened to my own distaste, "where will...Ozy be? I have to find out why he's done this; killing the Comedian...framing Rory and Jon's exile..."

"We should be heading to Antarctica," Dan stood up, shutting the computer down, "if he is behind all this we'll have to face him."

"_Too fast,_" Rorschach commented, "_easily beat us._"

Dan looked at me and I knew what he was going to say before he said it, "you could possibly win him over, you two are close."

"_Were_ close," I spoke quickly, looking outside the window, "then he goes and does this...sorta makes you wonder what to think anymore."

* * *

Once inside Dan's Owlship, Archie, we flew out away from the City and North. I sat on the floor like last time, one leg bought up while the other stretched out, head resting backwards against the curved wall.

"You alright back there?" asked Dan from his pilot seat.

"Why wouldn't I be?"

Dan's eyes were forward but glanced back for a moment at me, "you seemed to take the news on Adrian a bit hard."

I was silent. I couldn't tell them that the man we were going after to stop was one of the men who I had ever opened up to.

* * *

_Before I joined the Watchmen, I returned to America with Adrian. I was fascinated by him and the feeling seemed mutual. Once we left the private jet, which I had been overwhelmed with, both of us were dressed in our strange outfits like usual for me. His armour was gold and black while I was mainly covered in black. We arrived in New York that night and were still talking about everything and anything. It seemed Adrian had been lacking someone to talk with and I was all too happy. The fact someone wanted my opinion, to listen to me made me feel alive again. We stopped outside the airport, some people passing by were ogling Adrian like delicious meat on display, when he turned and smiled to me._

"_How would you like to go out for dinner? I'm sure you're starving by now."_

"_Erm..." I know felt embarrassed about someone caring about me, "sure, why not?" I smiled._

_Adrian smiled back before holding out his arm, "let's go change then."_

* * *

_Later that night, we were both sat in an expensive restaurant. The place seemed full of couples for being this late at night, men and women sat talking, eating, drinking, even sharing a chaste kiss now and then. I felt uncomfortable as hell until Adrian smiled at me and I practically melted in my seat. The whole thing was new to me, it felt like I was about to explode with all the new emotions and feelings I was having and receiving. If this was how friendship felt I really wanted to know what love was like. Friendship felt addictive to my dead soul. Adrian ordered our food, he seemed to know what I liked, then again I think it was a bit obvious when I was staring at certain foods on the menu like a starving dog. This made him laugh but I had never eaten in somewhere so...upper class. Despite earning quite a bit of money from my artwork I still preferred to get take out or make my own dinner._

* * *

_After a plate of spaghetti with a bowl of Viennese cake and ice cream later, we were walking down the streets of New York. It was late at night, almost morning, but we had nothing to fear in dark alleys. One of my arms were hooked through one of his, both of us had not stopped smiling since we'd met._

"_Where will you be staying?" Adrian asked._

_That's when I mentally cursed; I had been so drawn into him that I hadn't thought about where I was going to live!_

'_Damn you idiot!' I mentally chided myself, 'this is why men are a handful.'_

"_Ah...I'll just find a Hotel for now I suppose," I laughed lightly, it wasn't like I really needed a place to live, the streets at night were enough for me but at least a home would be a safe base._

"_Nonsense," he tugged my arm lightly, "you can stay at my home, I dare say there are enough bedrooms, we can find you a home tomorrow."_

_I looked up at him now, "why are you being so nice to me?" I couldn't help but ask._

_The only times I had the remote sense of someone being nice to me was when they wanted something in return._

"_Because," Adrian looked down at me sadly, "I can tell no one else has been nice to you before, time to change that."_

_My eyes widened before slowly filling with tears I had thought long since dried away. He seemed to soften even more as he brushed them away. To think we had known each other for only a few days, I was hopelessly head over heels. _

* * *

I was once again daydreaming, dead to the world while roaming through my memories. Lately I'd been thinking over my past more and more...I hope it wasn't a bad omen otherwise I was in deep trouble. I remember after staying with Adrian for that night, we left and I rented an apartment. As he was leaving, bidding me goodnight, he had paused as if wondering what to do before turning round and kissing me softly. My first kiss. And it had led to so much more. My first - real - time. I would have never imagined that he was capable of such love and I hadn't realized I was capable of loving or being loved. To me, the world was cold and dark, dirty and disgusting. He changed me. Adrian changed me altogether. I realised that not all humans were bad; filth to be removed. He made me laugh, smile, cry and love. I was alive again. We spent many days together until I joined the Watchmen. Yes I still went with him every now and then but my interest had been piqued by the others. Dan's intellect and general want of peace. Laurie's kind heart yet ass-kicking personality. Blake's harsh mood yet understanding of the world. Jon's interest in everything whilst observing humans as a 'third party'. And of course Rorschach, the main culprit. His mask was but one of the curios that kept me guessing; his personality, his past so close to mine making me understand him better than he thinks. I suppose me and Adrian drifted apart...but it was more of a mutual understanding that I now had more than just him. I had several more friends. Adrian was not forgotten, I could never forget him, nor could I ignore him but he was fine with it all, happy that I was living a life full of friends and understanding. We barely had those nights together until recently they had just stopped. It wasn't long after that I was sent to prison for being caught in the Comedian's place when the police arrived. The possibility that Adrian could be the one behind it all, the one to cause millions of deaths across the globe, was enough to break my already fragile heart.

My hands curled to fists, the leather gloves creaking slightly from the tension.

"We're here," Dan announced finally.

Standing, the cloak swished round me lightly as I moved to stand behind Dan, beside Rorschach. There outside was the white, snow covered land of Antarctica.

"Looks cold," I pointed out making both men turn to me as if to say.

'Well done captain obvious.'

I shrugged lightly when Archie suddenly jerked as the engine died and we headed straight for a glacier wall.

"_Think you should pull up,_" Rorschach commented as he grabbed the other seat for balance.

I, however, fell back on my ass as Dan managed to pull us up into a steep climb. The bottom of the ship grated the edge of the glacier and instead we slid along it for a moment, snow almost burying us at the front. Finally coming to a stop, Dan let out his breath.

"Could have been worse."

"Don't tempt me to beat you up," I grumbled, clinging to the wall.

"Aw, but I'm your friend," he smiled back at me.

"Friends don't try and kill you with their terrible driving," I straightened myself out, embarrassed for falling over.

* * *

Leaving outside Archie, Dan set to work on the engines, now wearing a thermal cloak and mask over his normal ones. Rorschach and I were the only ones who didn't dress differently.

"You two should wear something warmer," Dan commented, dropping down from above.

Rorschach pulled up the collar of his coat, "_I'm fine._"

I snorted, "bet you are...I'm not cold, this cloak is perfect enough," I stretched my arms out, "I could come here wearing Bermuda shorts and T-shirt and it wouldn't make a difference to me! As long as I have my trusty cloak."

"Don't you get cold at all?" asked Dan flabbergasted.

I pulled the material of my cloak, "special made from Jon, thermal yet it 'breathes', it's almost like liquid but we didn't get round to making it bullet proof," I smirked.

Trudging through the snow towards the huge facility where the nuclear reactor was, I walked between the two men. Snow drifted down on the weary three like petals of some innocent flower, still a pristine white in the midst of black poison.

"So, what's between you and Veidt?" Dan asked the dreaded question.

I didn't stop walking, eyes dead ahead at the door, "if you're wondering if my emotions will get in between things you are wrong, my judgment isn't clouded with such simple things..." I smiled lightly, "or is it?"

"You confuse me."

"My motto is; if you can't make them think, make them wonder," I held my chin in thought, "but there's also...Blood is thicker than water, and tastier too," I laughed loudly while Dan considered my mental state.

He seemed to be doing that a lot...my mental state must be worse than I thought.


	8. Chapter 8

**OMG IT'S THE LAST CHAPTER!!!!! phew! This was a tough chapter to write...you know what happens *sniff* and it always makes me want to cry!!! BUT I shall hold back for you readers.....lol! Thanks for all your reviews, they make me really happy!!! Virtual hugs for all readers!!! I hope you have enjoyed the story so far and enjoy the finale to Darkness Eternal!!! *bows* this is my longest chapter!**

**Darkness Eternal**

Chapter Eight

Reaching the nuclear facility, they crept inside easily. Dan discarded his thermal stuff to the side while Rorschach looked round. I stood wary for a moment wondering why there were no guards.

'He must know we're here,' I thought sullenly, 'so does that make it true?'

Dan seemed to notice my unease and patted my arm comfortingly.

"I'll go have a look round," I made to walk off when a surprising hand grabbed my arm.

"_No._"

I looked back at Rorschach, stumped, "is that because you're worried about me or because you think I might run off to Adrian?"

He was silent, the mask's ink blots moving slower than usual before he realized he still had a grip on my arm. Rorschach quickly let go as if unable to touch me any longer. I turned away and walked off without another word. Before I vanished round the corner I heard Dan scolding the shorter vigilante.

'Serves him right,' I mentally grumbled, 'why can't that man just not have his head stuck up his ass for once?! Does he seriously think that I'm double crossing them with Adrian?!'

Pausing for a moment, I leant against the wall, head bowed in thought.

'Stupid Rory...why do I let him wind me up so bad?'

That question was one I had been puzzling over since the day I met him. Even after Dan, Laurie, Blake, Adrian and Jon retired from being vigilantes due to the ban on them, I and Rorschach never put down our masks. We became partners, on a loose level of course due to his belief that all women are whores or just disgusting, but I'd have thought he would have at least ruled me into the group that could be remotely classed as a friend, like Dan. It annoyed the hell out of me while at the same time saddened me. Sighing, I refused to dwell on those thoughts any longer and moved down the corridors, looking round with wary eyes.

* * *

Rorschach watched Phoenix walk away, annoyed or angry with his lack of answer to her question. She still puzzled him to no end and that annoyed him the most. Despite learning her story, which had disturbed him to find it not unlike his own, he still couldn't gauge her responses. One minute he could argue with her, sling a few 'whore' words or something along the lines of it and she would retaliate. Then sometimes she gets all moody and played him for the bad guy. Other times she's acting the joker and other times she's all serious and cold. True, he had insinuated that she may be working with Adrian, but who wouldn't think that when they were so close? That brought an unfamiliar stab to his chest.

"Why did you do that?" whispered Dan with a sigh.

"_It's the_ _Truth._"

"Truth?" Dan shook his head as they walked again, "I can't believe you would think that Phoenix would cross us, we're friends, why can't you live with that?"

No answer on his part.

The two masked vigilante's walked slowly and silently as they found themselves in a large hall, towards the back were steps leading elsewhere like a grand staircase but smaller. There stood Adrian wearing his Ozymandias armour, facing the front where there must have been over fifty screens displaying different parts of the world. Dan went one way, slowly walking down a set of steps while Rorschach jumped lightly from a higher floor, grabbing the edge to stop himself before landing crouched, silent. Both walked silently, their gait slow and steady so as not to make a sound on the marble-like floor. Rorschach was closest to Adrian and suddenly ran at him. Of course Adrian had already known their appearance and dodged sideways easily letting Rorschach go flying straight into the screens. Dan fared the same except Adrian's fist hitting him in the stomach sending him rolling across the floor. Neither could land a hit on Ozymandias and were instead sent flying on numerous occasions. Adrian stood over them, looking down on the two as Rorschach helped Dan up who clutched at his ribs painfully.

* * *

Meanwhile, I, somehow with all my skills and powers...was lost.

"GOD DAMN IT!!!!" I hit a nearby wall with my frustration only to realize I'd hit a red button marked 'emergency alarm', "oh crud."

I watched as a door slid open from the bottom revealing booted feet. As the steel door slid upwards, the rest of the twenty soldiers' bodies were revealed. All armed and ready.

"Double crud!"

They raised their guns at me while a few ran at me with knives.

"Triple crud!!"

* * *

Adrian told them of his plan to use Jon's weapons to blow up every major city. Rorschach had had enough of listening to him and made to run up the steps after him when red lights flashed.

"What the..." Dan looked round.

Rorschach knew instantly, "_Hurm...Phoenix._"

Adrian looked suddenly hesitant, "Phoenix is here too?"

On answer, a large glass window to the side shattered as I flew through it. Landing on my back, I tilted her head back to look at them all with a nervous smile.

"Quadruple crud..."

That's when they noticed the knife sticking out of my thigh.

"Phoenix! There's a...." Dan pointed wildly, "a...!"

"_Knife in your leg,_" Rorschach answered.

My eyes half closed, "no shit Sherlock, I thought it looked good as a new accessory."

Indeed the knife hurt like hell but seeing Rorschach acting captain obvious annoyed me. Grabbing the knife hilt, I simply pulled it out and tossed the blood knife aside, hissing quietly in pain. Blood soaked my shirt and ran onto the floor round me as the twenty soldiers came spilling out.

"I don't suppose I could ask for some help guys?"

Pulled up onto my feet by Dan, the soldiers looked shocked for a moment at seeing the masked men behind me. Two snapped from their shock and ran at me seeing I was already injured. This time I was ready. Grabbing a hand from each of them, I pulled them in towards me and leapt up over their heads, smashing the two together while they crumpled to the floor. It was a great deal harder than normal due to the pain shooting through my thigh. Landing back on my feet, I swayed unsteadily but Dan held me straight. Three took chance of the diversion of their two friends to attack us from behind. This time Rorschach attacked them first. He kicked one into the other while grabbing the other one's head and ramming it into the floor with a sickening crunch. This left fifteen of them. All of which pointed guns at the three of us. My eye twitched.

"Guns are no fun."

The remaining fifteen shot at us but we all dove aside of the bullets. My thigh landed painfully on the ground eliciting another pained hiss from me. Dan and Rorschach seemed to be taking the brunt of the attacks, diving behind pillars in the hall from the rain of bullets. Adrian was watching with mixed emotions. He looked like he wanted to join me and take me away from the danger, whilst at the same time wanting to sit back and watch Rorschach and Dan be dealt with. A light bulb lit up in my mind and I looked up at the ceiling to see wires carrying electricity, attached to the ceiling. Looking down at the bodies of several soldiers on the ground, I saw one of their automatic guns lying not far from me. Glancing at the group of soldiers for a moment, seeing their attention was away from me for now, I dove after the gun. The sudden movement seemed to alert them and they turned their guns on me instead.

'Shit!'

"Phoenix!" Dan shouted at me.

Grabbing the gun, I rolled sideways as torrents of bullets hit the ground where I had been, following me as I rolled aside until I stopped. Aiming up at the ceiling, I shot off rounds until the electricity wires broke and fell on the group of soldiers. As soon as the wires touched the soldiers, electricity jumped between them, shocking them into electrocution. It was a strange sight seeing them all shaking violently with the force of hundreds of volts rushing through them. One by one they fell to the ground dead. But one fell down shooting his gun still from the tremors in his body. A bullet hit the ground near my head, another shot over by shoulder too close for comfort when two other bullets hit my right arm and shoulder. My eyes widened in shock and I felt numb for a moment. All I could register was Adrian and Dan's shocked faces, even Rorschach's swirling face seemed to slow. Then the pain hit and I screamed. Gripping my shoulder tightly, I fell back, vaguely aware of three people gathered round me.

There was a bright blue and white light, almost like the electricity from before, Jon and Laurie appearing. Said woman quickly ran over to me, kneeling beside me and trying to pull my hand away to look at the bullet wounds.

"I need to look Phoenix!" Laurie spoke hurriedly.

Slowly pulling my hand back, I bit my lip harshly through the pain and Laurie quickly ripped the sleeve of my shirt for a make-shift bandage.

"Sorry about the shirt," she smiled slightly.

I laughed slightly, "I couldn't care right now..."

Looking up at the worried face of Adrian, he noticed I was alright now - although I didn't fell alright - and quickly made his escape.

Once again Rorschach made to follow but Jon stopped him and left after Adrian instead, leaving them in silence...well...silence except for my harsh breathing that was slowly steadying out as I fought for consciousness.

"Phoenix?" Laurie raised a hand and brushed some hair from my face.

"I won't die..." I smiled lopsidedly before slowly sitting up, wincing in pain but keeping quiet.

Laurie tried to push me down, "you can't Phoenix! You've been shot twice and stabbed in your leg, I'm surprised you're still conscious!"

Still, I simply brushed her hands off and stood up, staggering from my leg and blood loss, but standing nonetheless.

"_Stupid whore._"

We all looked at Rorschach, all but me shocked at him.

"Y_ou want to die?_"

"Rorschach!" Dan and Laurie looked at him shocked.

My quiet laughter made them turn to me worriedly, "what happened to the; if I need help you'll whisper no?" I turned back to them with a small smile, "you are one hell of an annoying bastard."

"_Whore._"

"Bastard."

"_Whoring-bitch._"

"Whoring-bastard."

"Are they always like this?" asked Laurie.

"Yep," Dan sighed.

I had limped over and was now in front of Rorschach, "whoring-self centred-egotistical-bastard-son of a bitch."

"_Whoring-idiotic-stuck up your ass-bitch,_" he rasped back, seemingly not bothered about the proximity...for now.

"Damn you..." I grumbled.

"_Damn you._"

I laughed, "Already damned."

"_Hurm..._"

That left them on a full stop.

"I win," I beamed, "thanks for making me feel better."

No answer, but I didn't think I'd get one anyway. That was just Rorschach altogether.

* * *

Adrian reappeared without Jon or his pet Tiger. He stood on top of the stair case but Laurie was behind him, a gun pointed at his head. My eyes widened and I was stuck on what to do. Adrian's eyes met mine; they were warm looking as they had when I first met him. Laurie shot and I stiffened as Adrian rolled past, down the steps before coming to a stop, eyes closed at the bottom. A hand deftly patted my arm, almost ghost like but Dan was opposite me leaving only one person behind me. A glance out of the corner of my eye announced that it was indeed Rorschach, but why? Nah, it couldn't have been, probably just my imagination.

They all stepped down to see if he was dead, I was paralyzed to move though. Adrian suddenly jumped up, the bullet in his hand as his fist smacked into Laurie's gut. Laurie fell back onto the steps and Dan knelt beside her. Hearing a voice over head they all looked up to see a gigantic Jon stood over them, his fist pulled back. He aimed to smash his fist into Adrian but he ran out of the way before it reached him. Jon formed to normal size before Adrian. Adrian looked them all over, pausing over me before at the screens that showed different places across the world, now devastated by the bombs he had exploded. The president spoke on to the nation.

"You see now? All of this worked, the world is no longer under threat of nuclear war...if the people knew about what I did then it would only start it again...I will live with the burden of killing millions...to save the rest of them."

Slowly, reluctantly, they agreed to keep it secret...except for Rorschach that openly disagreed. Adrian looked to me who had kept silent.

"You agree, right Phoenix?"

I felt torn, half wanting to go with Adrian, half to Rorschach.

"I...." they all looked at me, even Rorschach who had stopped to listen, "I..."

I caught Jon's look as he nodded to me and the decision was clear in my mind.

"No."

Adrian's eyes widened in shock, "what?"

I took a deep breath and met his pleading eyes with steel, burning ones, "no. A fake miracle isn't a miracle that saves lives. Neither is ending fifteen million lives for the rest of the pathetic population. I know for a fact that there was at least one innocent soul amongst those killed in New York...my little sister," Adrian looked horrified, "she would have been having her ninth birthday tomorrow," my hands curled into fists, "for that, I can never forgive."

With that I turned my back on my friends. They understood but it was too late for them to go back. They had chosen and so had I. Rorschach was already up ahead trying to be talked into changing his mind by Dan.

"Never compromise. Not even in the face of Armageddon. That's always been the difference between us, Dan," Rorschach pulled up his collar and opened the door.

The door to the outside opened and my eyes widened at seeing Jon, knowing what he was going to do. Rorschach did the unexpected and tore off his mask, the face of Walter staring at Jon through the snowy day.

"I won't keep quiet unless you kill me."

Jon looked at me and I shook my head furiously, mouthing; 'don't you dare.'

"Do it!!" shouted Walter/Rorschach.

Jon raised his hand at him.

"NO!" I shouted angrily at Jon, eyes pleading for him to not kill Walter/Rorschach.

"Phoenix...you don't know what I can see if I let him go," Jon spoke as calmly as usual.

"You're right, I don't know and I don't care," my hands curled into fists, "but this isn't right!"

"I don't need your help," Rorschach rasped, shivering lightly from the cold.

"People always need help, usually I turn them down, tell them that life happens as it happens...well...this is wrong, I've had enough of losing people," my eyes seemed to burn like fire, "I won't lose anymore, not even to you...Jon."

Jon turned white eyes on me and I swore I could see empathy in them as he looked at me, "unfortunately, you have no choice in the matter, Daniel."

Dan's reluctant hands gripped my left arm, not wanting to hurt my right shoulder. I looked back at him shocked.

"But Dan!"

* * *

Walter gripped his 'face' tighter along with his fedora hat.

"Phoenix...." my name sounded weird coming from him.

He didn't look at me but I knew what he wanted me to do. Dan slowly let go of me and I limped through the snow towards Walter. Stopping beside him, Walter shockingly handed me his fedora...and 'face' something concealed in his fedora hat by the white mask.

"They must know the truth," he spoke quieter than usual.

My eyes widened slightly before threatening to fill with tears. Taking the fedora, mask and hidden object inside the fedora, I nodded slightly.

"You stupid hero..."  
His eyes flickered to her for a moment, questioningly before back at Jon. All I could do was limp back to Dan. I kept my back to him, unable to watch the following.

"Do it..." Walter shivered again from the cold.

Jon was silent and unmoving which made Walter angrier, the cold no longer affecting him as if a fire was burning inside him, reaching the surface and exploding.

"DO IT!!!!"

Jon raised his arm once more. Walter's last thoughts turned to a crimson haired woman, smiling at him warmly no matter what.

'_Damn that woman_...'

* * *

I couldn't turn back as the blinding light reflected off the snow...the once pristine snow covered in blood. Couldn't turn back as Dan fell to his knees and let out an agonising scream, reaching for where his friend had once been, as if he had been the one who had been vaporised. Nor could I turn back when Jon neared me. Everything got to me like a bomb and all I could do was clutch the fedora to my chest; the moving ink blots on the mask moving ever so slowly, tauntingly...the hidden journal barely peaking out from under the mask. Jon's glowing blue hand rest lightly on my left shoulder.

"It had to be done."

"And what about me?" I asked quietly, voice cold and emotionless, "going to kill me too?"

Jon was silent for a moment before speaking again, "no...I believe you will make the right choice."

'Then you know nothing of me,' I thought spitefully.

Limping back inside, I was met by Laurie and Adrian, the real Jon stood in front of her. All three looking at me sadly. Dan followed behind me as Jon suddenly teleported away, probably into his own exile, and as soon as he saw Adrian, ran at him shouting angrily. He hit Adrian several times, pushing him into the far wall in all attempts to inflict serious pain. Instead I grabbed Dan's wrist and pulled him back, shaking my head.

"But he's the reason for everyone's death! Rorschach's death!"

I visibly flinched at the name. Looking back at Adrian, who didn't seem to have gained much damage from Dan, he looked at me pleadingly, wanting to me to understand his decisions.

"Phoenix..." he spoke as quietly as I had previously, "I am truly sorry...please forgive me."

Everything hit home and I staggered against him, sagging like a lifeless doll. Adrian held me tightly, careful of my wounds, but glad to have me back in his arms. My vision was dark, my body turning numb with pain or sadness I couldn't tell. The first tear slipped from my eye followed by another until they were streaming down my face. I had left America, gone to England and returned in hopes of a new, better life...which it had been while it lasted...but now I felt like I had gone back to square one and it was heart shattering. The only thing I could hold onto as I slipped into unconsciousness was the three possessions from a masked vigilante. One that had been called many things from psychotic to a hero, that smelt of cheap cologne and ate beans straight out of the can...a man who wanted to make the world a better place. A true hero.

* * *

I had lost track of how long it had been since the events in the Antarctic. After I had fallen unconscious, Dan and Laurie had taken me back to Archie and from there to a hospital. There they had managed to save my pathetic life...but I still felt hollow. Adrian visited me often in the hospital, even sleeping beside my bed when he was most worried. Some part of me, a now distant part of me, was relieved with the warmth I gained from his attention...but it was a dwindling part of me. I could never forgive him...forgive them all for keeping silent over a false miracle...for killing Rorschach...

Jon had told me back then that he wouldn't kill me because he believed I would do what was right and remain silent.

He knew nothing of me then. None of them did. Not Laurie who had been like a sister to me. Nor Dan who had been a great friend. Not even Adrian who I had loved. Rorschach had known me more than the others. He had trusted me....actually trusted me to show the world the truth. That fact still confused and startled me even now.

* * *

It had been easy. Walk to New York's best selling newspaper department. Give them Rorschach's journal containing the truth along with extra parts I had added. Told them to print it in every newspaper and post it across the country. I sent copies of the journal to several other countries to be published in public newspapers. Dan, Laurie, Jon and Adrian all thought I would keep quiet. Wait until they got their wake up call. There may have been only so much a human could do, but I was determined to do far more. Sometimes I checked up on the progress of the newspaper reports, sometimes sneaked a peak in the lives of the three remaining Watchmen. Part of me felt guilty that the journal could lead to another Cold War, but that was overwhelmed by my angry part, the part that burned an inferno at the injustice of it all. That the death of one hero, of fifteen million people, could bring the peace to the rest of the world.

* * *

Late in the afternoon, as the moon was rising, the papers were sent out in mass batches. I sat on a roof in New York, glancing at the re-construction of the City, before glancing down at the people that walked below. My eyes caught a newspaper stand with satisfaction. The papers were spread for all to see. Crowds gathered to buy the newspapers and read the truth. The large black and white words reading; '_Who Watched the Watchmen? Veidt's lies!_' I smiled to myself, able to read the largest of the writing, the start to the truth.

'_On Friday night, a Comedian died in New York. Someone threw him out of a window and when he hit the sidewalk his head was driven up into his stomach. Nobody cares. Nobody cares but me._'

Standing up on the roof, I looked out at the growing darkness, the stars and moon high in the sky now, what else did I have left to do? I had sent out the truth across the globe, finished the role Rorschach had played and handed down. I had no where to go and nothing to do; so I did all that a vigilante without a life could do. Dropped down into a dark alley and wandered away into eternal darkness. Never looking back into the brightly lit, lively streets of New York, not even thinking of the 'friends' left behind who would question my disappearance. No one would find me where I was going, most would never even know that I once existed. I was just another light to go out in the dark. Who knew, I may see Rorschach again in Hell.

'_For my own part, regret nothing. Have lived life, free from compromise...and step into the shadow now without complaint.'_

**Thank you all for pushing me on through this fanfic. I hope you have enjoyed it as I enjoyed writing this, thank you all and goodnight!**


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